ROCK ISLAND HELPS FIREFIGHTERS SAVE STRANDED CAT

Rock Island responded to a call from Orcas Island Fire on Saturday morning, April 7, 2018, to assist in rescuing a cat. “Bea,” an 8-month-old kitten, had been stuck in a tree for three days. By Saturday morning, he had climbed nearly 70 feet up the tree, and out of the reach of OIFR ground ladders.

“Bea looked like a little Christmas-tree ornament swaying in the wind. That’s when we called Rock Island. They told us personnel would respond with a 114-foot articulating boom truck,” said Patrick Shepler, Battalion Chief and Paramedic for Orcas Island Fire and Rescue. “Rock Island’s Alan Smith and Chris Arp arrived within the hour, and safely returned a cold and hungry Bea to her grateful owner.”

Safety is a top priority for OPALCO and Rock Island, and both organizations have a long history of pulling together with other island organizations to meet the needs of their members and customers.

“Delivering gigabit Internet and saving cats from trees are just a few things we do around here,” said Dan Burke, SVP of Sales and Operations for Rock Island. “We all play multiple roles in our small island community, and that’s what makes living here so great. We love helping our safety agencies and other islanders whenever we can. We are grateful to get the call.”

Fire Chief Scott Williams was happy to see the successful outcome. “This is a great example of inter-agency operations working together to help our community,” said Williams.